Warhammer 40,000 Homebrew Wiki:How NOT to Make an Homebrew Xenos Species
This guide has been created to help our contributors to have a better understanding how NOT to make a xenos species article. This guide will cover the various issues and egregious examples that newer writers tend to make when creating their own xenos species. Please DO NOT be one of these individuals and give this guide a thorough read-through. Writing This section refers specifically to the writing and style of creating a xenos article and certain issues that are commonly found when writing about a homebrew xenos article. Canon Races Often, most newer writers tend to make comparisons to existing canon races of the WH40K universe. It is strongly advised that you DO NOT do this! When writing about your own unique species, remember, they have evolved completely on its own, from the ground up, through their own process of evolution. Example of what not to do: '..the species is taller than the average human, about 5 metres in height, with two extra arms and long horns on their head..' Try to describe your xenos species on their own terms. For instance: '...the so-and-so species stands about 5 metres tall, with 4 arms and long horns on their head...' By describing the species entirely on its own, without referring to other firmly established canon species, the writer emphasizes the separateness and 'alien' nature of their own unique xenos species. If you believe it to be proper to compare your own unique homebrew species to a canon race, it is strongly advised that you utilise as few words as possible to avoid emphasizing it. The key here is understatement - less is more - in this case. 21st Century Humans Do NOT make any references, whatsoever, to 21st Century Humans in your article. Knowledge of anything before the Dark Age of Technology and the Age of Strife, or even the earliest origins of Emperor and his first appearance before the Unification Wars has been destroyed, lost or long forgotten. Use of Aeldari Technology This is perhaps the most egregious, annoying, and most common canon-infringement I have seen. So let's get this clear right now: THE AELDARI DO NOT SHARE THEIR TECHNOLOGY WITH ANYBODY. Never...Ever!!! So forget about it. It can be salvaged, in the same way that Orks loot things. But under no circumstance can any race other than the Aeldari have an affinity for their technology or use wraithbone psychoplastics. If the Imperium view other xenos species with cold hatred, then the Aeldari view the same species with absolute and utter contempt, seeing them as little more as we would cows or pigs. This is why the Aeldari have no qualms about killing humans; as far as they are concerned, it is as much the same thing as is culling livestock (albeit livestock with guns and knives). The Aeldari brought about their own fall due to their own arrogance, and still uphold this Aeldari tenet. Even today, the Aeldari will turn to no other species to aid them in their hope of rebirth in the galaxy. Whist the above said is true, there have been cases where Harlequins have given Inquisitors weapons and items. Aeldari have given certain humans their tech, only when trusted extremely or out of debt. But for the most part, Aeldari are just as xenophobic as the Imperium is. We also know certain Librarians of the Blood Ravens Space Marine Chapter were given Aeldari-crafted force weapons. But for the most part, Aeldari will never willingly give their weapons away. Also should add that Cadia was once an Aeldari world and still has gates on the planet and is actually used by the Imperium to much reluctance though. But I should say, since these subjects are extremely light in detail for the most part, it is highly recommended not to make your xenos race have wraithbone technology or the power to drain stars of life. Only the conniving Inquisition gets Aeldari tech, and even then, it's highly improbable that only a few Inquisitors per sector have Aeldari technology. Interstellar Drive Technology This is a tricky topic, that unfortunately, is usually not written about very well, and is often annoying, pressing the bounds of established canon (where it doesn't cross them entirely) and comes off as shallow posing of the worst kind. Now, if you want to come up with an alternative to the standard, canon-established warp drive, try to explain why your species cannot use warp drive by explaining they developed different technologies on their own and that it is a different kind of interstellar drive. It should remain simple and understated. Both are key, for making your xenos species' technology separate from other species and wholly unique. Super Warriors This is another annoying trope that new writers often employ when writing about their own homebrew xenos species. It is both annoying and quite lazy writing, and does nothing to advance the narrative. If you really feel the need to create a species of alien super-killers that can literally kill dozens of Space Marines in mere second..do yourself a favour...DON'T!!! Apart from canon issues and the so-called 'Hive Fleet Effect', creating such an overpowered, 'Mary-Sue', sentient race is both boring and has been over-done: it's boring, there's no story, no drama, no conflict of interest, and highly annoying. Nice Effect The Nice Effect describes the tendency of some people to make their species into nice people, who accept others for what they are, who are not superstitious about technology, and are friendly to people of other races because they know that they are all alike on the inside. If these races have a place, it is not in Warhammer 40,000: this is a place for bloody-minded fanatics out for blood. If you want to make a species composed of nice people, then write a Star Trek fanfic. Various factions within each race will ally with other; Allies are completely different from friends. No race, as a whole, in the 40k Universe is friends with any other. Period. Even the Tau, who are the nicest guys in the galaxy have flaws big enough to make them a villain in any other sci-fi setting. They refuse to let other cultures, xenos or human, to keep their ways that they have had for millenia, the species they accept into the Empire are put to work in either the Fire Caste or labour camps, species that refuse to accept the audacious demands of the Empire are obliterated or forcibly pacified, dissidents and rebels are subjected to brutal Room 101-esque tortures, and certain septs have gotten off with actions that would make other Tau feel sick, such as sterilising humans to control birth rates. Another dark and startling aspect is the (unconfirmed) Ethereal caste's use of pheromones to make all Tau consider reason and become open to change (Used properly, can make the Tau follow their orders - Like mind control). And yet, these guys are considered nice is because there is nothing better. There is nothing against your species as a whole wanting to be peaceful: wanting is fine, just so long as you remember that in the 41st Millenium, there is only war! (For example, look at the Diasporex from the canon. A peaceful empire, wanting everyone to coexist with each other, and for everyone to be happy and living in a perfect utopia. Brutally wiped out by the nascent Imperium of Man during the Great Crusade.) Empire If you want to write about your xenos species has their own interstellar empire, it must be a small one. It has been firmly established that the majority of the galaxy is rule over by the Imperium of Man - that's it, no if's, and's or but's...all other empires are only filling in gaps. Admittedly, some of these gaps are pretty big, but no canon-friendly species will be written to be rivals of The Imperium. This is a key point as any large empire, and I mean any, would have either been destroyed or taken by the Imperium during the Great Crusade or afterwards, so your empire can only have 100 systems in it at max. Category:Guide Category:Xenos